Canton stir-fried pepper beef with mangetout

My adaptation of a popular stir-fried dish is extremely simple to make. What makes the recipe so versatile is that any fresh vegetable can be substituted for the mangetout.

Try it with plain steamed rice.

Serves 4

450g lean beef steak

2tsp light soy sauce

2tsp Shaoxing rice wine or dry sherry

2tsp sesame oil

½ tsp salt

¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper

2tsp cornflour

100g red or green pepper (about one)

3tbsp groundnut (peanut) oil

225g mangetout, trimmed

150ml chicken stock or water

2tbsp oyster sauce

Cut the beef into thin slices 5cms long then put in a bowl with the light soy sauce, Shaoxing rice wine or dry sherry, sesame oil, salt, pepper and cornflour. Mix well and then leave the beef to marinate for 20 minutes.

Cut the pepper into 5cm strips.

Heat a wok or large frying pan until it is very hot. Add the oil and when it is very hot and slightly smoking, remove the beef from the marinade with a slotted spoon, add to the pan and stir-fry for three minutes. Remove the beef slices, drain and reserve the oil. Wipe the wok or pan clean, then reheat it. Return 1 tablespoon of the drained oil to the pan and when it is very hot, add the pepper and mangetout and stir-fry for two minutes. Then add the stock and oyster sauce. Bring the mixture to the boil. Return the beef to the pan and stir well. Turn on to a warm serving plate and serve at once.